Matt Zaddy Releases Americana-Infused Folk Rock Single “Far Too Long”
The daily grind or rat race can swallow up a person entirely and leave them feeling helpless alongside being physically and mentally exhausted. You’re always in a rush, and there’s never enough time to stop and smell the roses. Mississauga, Ontario-based folk-rock artist Matt Zaddy has described that situation vividly in “Far Too Long,” his latest single, which shines with its Americana, alt-country flavoring. It’s also a song that hit close to home for the musician who was burning the candle at three ends between his day job, his family life, and his music pursuits.
Zaddy, who was working an exhaustive 80-hour week between both disciplines, was nearing a breaking point. After having a heartfelt chat with his younger brother, the musician realized that burnout had cost him a week of his life. That figurative wake-up call led Zaddy to work with Juno Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning producer Ross Citrullo to bring “Far Too Long” from its seed to its final fantastic form.
“I’ve always believed that music has the power to connect us,” Zaddy says regarding the song’s inspiration. “This song speaks to my own struggles with balance — between work, music, family, and friends. I think we’ve all been there at some point, and sometimes it takes hitting a wall to realize we need to make a change.”
“Far Too Long” is rooted deeply in alt-country or Americana as Zaddy sings about the passing of time and needing all the strength he has to get through the grind. Bringing to mind the work of early Jason Mraz, Shakey Graves, the Black Crowes circa The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, or The Rolling Stones at their country-leaning zenith, Zaddy has some fine musicianship on “Far Too Long.” The folksy opening blossoms into a large ensemble with some barroom piano thrown in for good measure. In short, it’s a Southern-tinged staple from one of Mississauga’s finest.
Zaddy, who wrote the single, says “Far Too Long” was recorded at Toronto’s RHC Music with Citrullo who produced it. The room and collaboration resulted in a song whose energy was captured immediately, completing the bed tracks in under an hour.
“We recorded the vocals, bass, organs, and drums live off the floor, and it made all the difference in the feel and sound of the song,” Zaddy says. “Live off the floor recording gives the song something spontaneous and honest, something visceral.”
“Far Too Long,” mastered by Connor Salmoral at Salmoral Studios, features Zaddy on lead vocals, percussion, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar. Citrullo adds percussion while Adam Cannon provides both percussion and drums. The single also includes bassist Curtis Freeman, Miles Evans-Branagh on organ and piano, and backing vocalist Heather Christine.
The single is another amazing release for Zaddy who released his debut EP Perfect Moments in 2015 which was followed in 2019 with his debut album Be. The musician’s 2023 single “What Comes Around” was a huge success earning over 162,000 YouTube views and airplay in 10 countries. Zaddy has also performed at various festivals including Canadian Music Week, Caldeon Day with Sam Roberts, Folk Music Ontario’s Spotlight Showcase, London, Ontario’s VenueXVenue Festival, and Toronto’s VegTO Festival among others. He’s also recently performed as part of the lineup for Becoming The Beatles Unplugged, which played in Kitchener, Ontario, in October.
Now with “Far Too Long” ready to make waves and garner more listeners internationally, Matt Zaddy should be preparing himself for more work and acclaim. It’s a song that strikes a chord with everyone trying to cope with daily pressures. And to steal the closing line from “Far Too Long,” this single proves Matt Zaddy is making headway!
Looking ahead, Matt Zaddy plans to head back into the studio in spring 2025 to begin recording a new album, further expanding his Americana and alt-country sound.
Matt Zaddy 2024 Ontario Concerts:
December 6, 2024 — Stonehooker Brewery (7 p.m. start) — Port Credit, ON
December 20, 2024 — Stonehooker Brewery (7 p.m. start) — Port Credit, ON
Hi, Matt! Good to see you again! What have you been up to since we talked?
Good to see you too! Things have been busy on my end. The last time we chatted was when my single Far Too Long came out. Since then, I’ve been performing across Ontario in support of that song, including festival dates, performing arts centres, and clubs. I’m also super excited about my new single Far Too Long, thanks for taking the time to chat with me about it.
On top of that, I’m writing a new record that I’m hoping to release around this time next year. Fingers Crossed!
“Far Too Long” reflects on the daily grind and burnout. Can you share more about the pivotal conversation with your brother that inspired the song?
So, this happened when I was working as a paralegal and doing music full-time. I was doing 40+hrs/week in my paralegal business and 40+hrs/week music between gigs and teaching. It was….intense. 6 days a week from morning until the wee hours of the morning with very little sleep. My brother was working for me at the time and had just come from a small holiday. He asked me what I had been up to the past week, and I had no memory at all of anything while he was gone. I had been going on autopilot with little to no sleep, 1.5-2 pots of coffee a day, and had reached a breaking point; I just didn’t realize it until we talked. Losing a week’s worth of memories was a big wake-up call for me.
How did working with producer Ross Citrullo shape the creative process and final sound of “Far Too Long”?
Ross and I have been working together since 2018 and he really brings out the best in my tunes. He and I have a similar vision for my tunes and love the live feel you get tracking the band together. After a day of pre-production, we had the full band in to record the song live off the floor. Within an hour, we had vocals, bass, drums, organ and piano done. It really made all the difference in the feel of the song. Ross and I both liked the Americana direction of the tune and went strong in that direction.
The single blends Americana and alt-country elements beautifully. Were there specific artists or musical influences you drew from while creating this song?
I’d say the biggest influences for me on this tune were Ryan Bingham, John Mayer, and Neil Young. I fell in love with Ryan’s music when I was touring playing death metal, and his style creeps into my music whether I like it or not (and I do!). John Mayer will also be an influence on my writing as well. The Neil vibes are the same way. I don’t even notice it until I go back and listen to the tune. In this case, we were sitting in the recording session and both Ross and I thought it had an Out On the Weekend vibe; in a good way.
Burnout is something many people can relate to. What do you hope listeners take away from “Far Too Long” and its message?
I hope listeners get a sense of what I was going through at the time and learn from it. It’s easy to bury yourself in your work, but there is a price to pay when you get lost in it. I was pushing myself way too hard and had to find a new way to move forward. In my case, this was the moment (along with some very good encouragement from my partner Heather Christine), that I realized I needed to wind down my part in the paralegal business and focus on music. I worked 80+ hour weeks for 3 years (often 100+ hrs/week), and hurt myself in the process. I think we all have to remember to put our health first and that everyone has limits. There is more to life than work. Make time for the people you care about, take proper care of yourself, or you’ll wake up one day and wonder where the last 10-20 years have gone. Someone gave me that advice a number of years earlier and I didn’t heed it. My memory lapse was a lesson I needed to learn.